“The world is changing too fast!” This common saying expresses our fear and bewilderment in face of a world that seems to be spinning out of our control. Globalism, nuclear threat, bioengineering, climate change, AI—indeed, more and more things seem to be evolving without anybody’s consent or reflection. How can we ever hope to intervene? Where do we even start?

We must not despair. At least, the starting point is clear: we must grasp the forces driving the changes.

In this course, we take up this challenge by attempting to understand, criticize, and reimagine modernity. We define modernity as the capitalist era that dawned with the Industrial Revolution. Our aim is to see that the rapid changes that seem so far out of our influence might stem from the same familiar forces that shape our own individual lives. This means that the emphasis is on the everyday human experience, rather than jargon-filled technicalities: participants from all walks of life are welcome. Through a collage of methods such as discussion, teamwork, readings, and videos, we will together create a space to develop not only a clearer awareness of our present condition, but also a more contemplative approach to navigating this messy, at times overwhelming, world.

Join us if you:

1. are looking for fellow fighting souls 2. are hungry for thinking and discussing 3. are cynical about change but frustrated with today’s world 4. miss college and want to restore your intellectual life